AN: at end. Once again, I apologize for any errors or stumbles.
"Research is what I am doing when I don't know what I am doing."
Wernher Von Braun
Isane trudged wearily across the compound towards the main building. She had just spent a grueling five hours training new recruits in herbology. It was always the same... Recruits would come in from the Academy full of fire and vigor, and thinking that they would be stepping right away into using their healing kidou. What they didn't know was that as a new recruit one of your first duties was to become better acquainted with the more traditional methods of healing. Not everything needed kidou, and besides, herbs were the foundation of any and all healing. Any healer worth their salt knew about herbs and other natural medicinals. It was the basis of learning for any healer. It just wasn't glamorous enough for most people. There was nothing exciting about picking herbs, and then drying or packaging them. There was a lot of memorization and skill in the job. If a person wasn't observant and didn't know what they were doing many of the plants that they picked could be poisonous. Even many of the healing herbs themselves if not used judiciously could inflict more harm then good. Pharmacology was an exact and rarely forgiving art form.
Well, if herbology didn't turn them on then she couldn't wait to see how they would react to sewer maintenance...
Adding to the last five hours she still had a whole desk full of paper work to do as well as meet with her captain about the meeting that she had come from. Looking up at the sky to note the sun's position she knew that Unohana was most probably already back. She was interested to hear though how her captain's proposal for finding an escort down to the lower districts went. Isane was thrilled that Captain Unohana had been very pleased with the idea of the Fourth helping out some of the poorer people. Their division wasn't short of shinigami, and they could easily put into the rotation a few squads making bi-monthly trips to help out. Unohana though had also agreed with Mayuri that a squad from one of the other divisions should accompany them as an escort. The lower districts were rough, and though the Fourth did have combat training it wasn't their forte. Isane was very interested to see who had been pressed into doing it.
Half way across the quad Isane stopped dead in her tracks. Coming towards the division was a reiatsu that she was becoming very familiar with. The enraged and highly charged spiritual presence was making straight for the division. In order to head off any trouble she switched directions and made straight for the main gate.
Just as she got there she saw the guards on duty literally quaking. The stunned and terrified looks on their faces caused a protectiveness inside her to surge upwards. It also caused her to become rankled as well. He had to stop showing up at her division like this and scaring the life out of people. It was bad enough that everyone was already afraid of him, but when he was in a foul mood it just made everything all the worse.
Standing at the entrance way Isane tried to look as composed as possible. Mayuri was making straight fro her, and even at this distance she could see his golden eyes narrowed in ill humor. Buildings shook slightly as he passed his anger was at such a strength. Usually that only happened with Captain Zaraki, but Mayuri? He was usually a bit more circumspect.
Huddled almost behind her the two guards waited silently. Isane couldn't spare either of them a glance, and she only hoped that if something really was amiss then they would have the good sense to make a run for it.
As he approached Isane bowed courteously. The pressure coming off of him abated a bit as he must have seen her small grimace of discomfort. But not by much.
"Captain Kurotsuchi," she said softly. "What can the Fourth do for you?"
Mayuri came to a halt in front of her and placed his hands in his sleeves. Just seeing her doe-eyed look calmed him slightly, but not by much. He could feel as well as see her unsurety and submissiveness. Good. That was how it should be. He wanted her as off-balanced as possible. He needed her to be unsure of her footing as that would be the only way that he could get the answers that he was looking for.
"Lieutenant Kotetsu," he said staring her down. Leaning forward he spoke in a harsh whisper. "We need to talk."
Isane looked at him in surprise, and swallowing heavily she nodded. He was so different than he had been the other night. He had been his usual insufferable self, but it had been tinged with playfulness as well as a large amount of passion. Now he was back to his cold and clinical former self. What could have happened in such a short amount of time?
"Of course, Captain."
"And I don't want any of your nosy squad members interrupting us with their usual trivial matters either," he bit out. Mayuri's eyes slid to the two cowering behind her. "I will not take any interruption very well. Who knows what I might do..."
Isane wanted to roll her eyes and sigh, but she knew that with his temper so high that even she might not be able to walk away from him unscathed. Better to just shuffle him away from prying eyes, and as quickly as possible.
But where could she take him? Her first inclination was to take her to her herb room. No one ever went there except for Hanatarou, and she knew that he was off today and visiting family. Then again, that place did have the memories of her cracking him one, and he might not find the past association amusing at this juncture. Of course, if he was to get out of line (again) her smacking him with a handful of stinging nettles across the face might give her the perfect leverage that she needed.
Then there also was her room. He had already been there, and the circumstances surrounding it were much more in his favor. Him going to see her during her illness might bring back more calming memories. But there was also the fact that having him in her bedroom might not be the most correct thing to do. She didn't want people to get the wrong idea...
Well, maybe there was one place...
Isane gasped as Mayuri stalked passed her, but not before grabbing her hand, and with a coldly warning glance at the two guards he whisked her away in a flash step before she could say anything.
Just as she was gathering her wits about her (as being a flash-stepping passenger was much different then if one did it themselves) she was yanked forward and into a room. Mayuri let her go with a slight flick of his wrist, but it was enough to send her in a semi-twirl before she could find her center of balance. Tottering a bit she looked where he had deposited them. Her eyes went wide, and then a deep flush rose up her neck and covered almost her whole face. It became even redder when she heard a familiar snick.
Mayuri had taken them to the infamous linen closet, and then locked the door behind him.
She was about to ask what he thought that he was doing, but she stopped before the words could even leave her mouth. He was standing in front of her with a feral gleam in his eyes, but it wasn't of the amorous variety. He looked positively insane. Like any good prey Isane stood stock still and waited for him to make the first move.
Leaning back against the door Mayuri crossed his arms across his chest, and just continued to stare at Isane in silence. His cold calculation of her was borderline scary, and her mind frantically tried to figure out what she could have done to cause him to turn on her in such a manner, and in such a short time as well. It was only the other night that he had been begging her to stay with him. Could that be it? The fact that she had said 'no'? But that couldn't be it. He was neither that shallow nor that petty. Well, on some things he might be, but about her he wasn't. Or so she thought...
"Mayuri?" Isane said softly. "What is it?"
"Tell me Isane, about Captain Komamura."
Mayuri's voice was soft as silk and as deadly as steel. His eyes never wavered from her face, and in fact they seemed to be watching her intently.
Isane frowned and shook her head. "What do you mean, Mayuri? What about Captain Komamura? I don't understand. Is there something specifically that you want to know?"
Mayuri's eyes narrowed in agitation. "What I specifically want to know is about your relationship with him."
Mayuri pushed away from the door, and slowly started to walk towards her. Isane took a small step backwards.
"My relationship with him? What do you mean," she said shaking her head.
"You know exactly what I mean Isane...and I want to know the truth." His lips were set in a firm line and his voice was quietly harsh.
Mayuri was one step closer, and Isane automatically took one step back.
"I-I am friends with Captain Komamura...Is that what you want to know?"
Mayuri took another sliding step forward, and watched as Isane took another step back.
"Yes, Isane. Tell me more about that friendship. Spent a lot of time with him in the past, have you?"
Another pair of steps were traded between the two.
Isane's heart fluttered. She brought a hand up to her throat and her eyes became big. She couldn't think straight due to Mayuri's almost malevolent behavior. It was all too surreal.
"No Mayuri, I haven't spent that much time with him. I've healed him and Goro on a few occasions, and we've spent some time talking about holistic healing."
Isane threw her hands behind her when she felt her back his the soft wall of bedding stored there. Instinctively her hands curled into the cotton fabric in order to help anchor her. Unfortunately for her though she was now at a standstill. Mayuri was still advancing on her. The light in his eyes were burning with triumph as he now saw that she could retreat no farther.
"Lets talk about you little tête-à-tête with Sajin, shall we?"
"I told you Mayuri, all we did was talk about healing..." Isane's eyes widened as an epiphany hit her smack dab between her eyes.
Somehow Mayuri had found out about her friendship with the large captain, and in his mind... With his virtually non-existent relationship skills he was unable to comprehend that not all friendships were sexual or romantic in design. Some were, but some weren't. For some reason he was unsure and confused about it all. Not that she kept any of her friendships a secret (and even not theirs), but for some reason he felt that he had no reason to doubt what he had heard, or maybe even about herself. Isane's body relaxed and her facial features softened. She gave a small sigh and held out a hand.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri was probably for the first time feeling the deadly sting of jealousy. Isane's heart went out to him. She knew what that was like, and though it could be an interesting companion it was a harsh master.
"Mayuri...are you implying that Captain Komamura and myself..."
Mayuri disregarded Isane's outstretched hand, and walked up close enough so that if he was to take another step Ashisogi Jizo would hit her in the stomach. He stood glaring down at her with a mad fire in his eyes and his breath coming out in hisses between his clenched teeth.
"It is the time that you spent not talking that interests me the most...Isane."
Isane dropped her arm and held it loosely at her side. She looked up and met his harsh gaze with her softer one. She wanted to reach out and hold him, but she didn't think that he would want that for some reason. It might just make him more suspicious and even angrier. Isane knew that the best thing to do would be to keep on following his lead, and try to talk him out of his madness.
"Did you, Isane? Tell me..." The words were raspy, and his jaw was taught with tension. Muscles in his face twitched and his nostrils were slightly flared.
"Did I what, Mayuri?" Isane asked the question softly, and always kept her gaze locked with his.
Mayuri leaned forward and spoke lowly but bitingly into her ear. "Fuck him...Did you, Isane? Did you let that over-grown mutt in between your legs?"
Isane sucked her breath in over the crude and highly personal question. Not only was the method he was using uncalled for, but it was just none of his damn business to begin with! Who was he to question her about anything? Her private life was her private life, and he off all people should respect that. Besides, it wasn't as if he had the right of a lover to be able to ask her such a thing. Even then a lover had their limits.
Her sympathy for the man was quickly being replaced with anger. How dare he...! Who was he to talk?! She didn't have to justify anything to him! Not a single thing.
Mayuri had braced not one but both arms on either side of her head. Along with Ashisogi Jizo her escape route was effectively cut off. But she was neither scared nor intimidated by it. If she had to she would fight her way out as best she could.
Isane placed a hand on the hilt of Itegumo, and stared at Mayuri with a steely glint in her eyes. "Mayuri, I don't know what anyone told you, or how you came to this fanciful idea, but you still don't seem to know me very well, do you?"
Mayuri barked out a harsh laugh and shrugged slightly. "I really know very little about you, Isane. Until recently our time together has been more academically inclined."
"What about the other night, Mayuri? What about our times just spent together and talking? Didn't any of that mean anything?" Isane's hand dropped from Itegumo, and her eyes became sad. "Were you even paying attention? Were you even really interested?" Isane's voice trailed off, and her head turned to the side. "Oh, Mayuri..."
Mayuri's fists clenched in the bedding behind Isane. He still kept his angry gaze locked on her face. "Tell me Isane..."
Her eyes whipped back to him, and full of her own fury. "Tell you what?! I think that at this point in time no matter what I say won't really matter. You have some idea in your head, and nothing that I say will register. In fact, I will even hazard a guess that you won't be satisfied unless I tell you that Komamura and I were lovers. Am I right? Is that what you want to hear?"
Mayuri snarled at her, and pushed forward so that he could get even closer to her, but unfortunately that meant that Ashisogi Jizo was now jammed painfully into her middle. Isane stifled a cry, and her face mirrored her discomfort, but she gritted her teeth in order not to let it show too much. Looking up at Mayuri with a pleading look she saw a flash of pain cross his eyes.
Mayuri released his pressure against her and straightened back up, but he still kept her within the close confines of his reach.
Isane gave a soft sigh of relief. Reaching down she rubbed at her stomach but her hand was stilled by one of his own. Looking at him questioningly her eyes quickly lost focus as he used the back of his hand to smooth away the hurt that he had just caused her.
"Komamura warned me away from you, Isane," Mayuri said quietly.
Isane's eyes flew to his. "What? Why? For what reason?" She narrowed her eyes speculatively. "What exactly did he say?"
Whatever he saw in her eyes or on her face relaxed Mayuri visibly. Her disbelief must have somehow soothed his irritation. He brought his hand from her stomach and with two knuckles traced her jawline.
"That's what I wanted to know, Isane. I thought that he was marking his territory. He made no bones about being protective of you." He pointedly ignored answering her questions.
"But Mayuri, Captain Komamura is very protective of everyone. He doesn't have a lot of real friends in the Gotei, and I think that with his constant mental inferiority he cherishes the few that he has. And Mayuri," Isane said sternly, " no matter what our relationship is I will always be Captain Komamura's friend."
"Lacking the mental inferiority complex I too don't have many real friends either, Isane. Besides, he called you Isa-chan..."
Isane rolled her eyes. "Mayuri...see? You call someone that you think of as a child 'chan'. I am like a kid to him obviously," Isane said wryly.
"Isane, he couldn't stop saying enough good things about you. He was practically drooling as he extolled your virtues."
Isane's temper snapped. "So?! What's wrong with that?! Are you saying that a person should do nothing but bitch about me?!" Isane's voice was getting strident and the look of anger was back again. "Well?! Is that what you are saying?! Should I be the Seireitei Schlep instead?!"
Mayuri's eyes suddenly widened in confusion. "No! Calm down, and -"
"What? Act my age?! Well, if someone calls me Isa-chan then maybe I should act like a child! Would that make you happy?"
Isane pushed at Mayuri's chest, and gave it a good punch in frustration. He stumbled slightly but quickly caught his balance. As he took a step back Isane filled the gap between them with a step of her own. She leaned forward and whispered silkily at him.
"Or maybe Mayuri he called me Isa-chan while we were fucking. Maybe it was a hard habit to break? Ever think about that one?"
Mayuri's head snapped back and the look of fire came back into his eyes, but Isane paid it no attention. She was sick and tired of his vacillating feelings towards her. One moment he was insulting her, then the next he was trying to romance her, and then again he was back to being totally rude and insufferable. She was sick and tired of it. At some point he would have to make up his mind how he was going to be.
Isane stepped around him as he stood stock still. His hands were clenched at his sides, and his shoulders were stiff with tension and anger. His eyes followed her, and his mouth was set in a feral snarl. All the while Isane circled him she quietly taunted him.
"Yes Mayuri, he called me chan because of my relative youth and his desire for me. Too bad that he didn't fill out one of Kyoraku's surveys because some girl out there missed the boat with that one...People refer to Sajin as a dog, but in reality Mayuri he is more like a wolf..."
Mayuri snarled and growled, but held his ground.
Isane raised an eye brow as she came around front. She knew in the back of her head that what she was doing was stupid, reckless, and even hurtful, but she was sick of it. Sick and tired of all his little games...It was time that he knew how it felt to be the one in the petri dish.
"Surprised Mayuri? Unamused? Have your expectations been met, or fallen short? Come on," she said turning her back and walking away. "Everyone knows that good girls are nothing more then bad girls who haven't been caught..." She turned to wink at him but was caught short at the look on his face.
It was malevolence pure, simple, and totally unadulterated. It took her breath away, and her previous show of bravery suddenly fled over the horizon with it's ass on fire. She was left scared and alone.
Mayuri saw that, and with a deep chuckle took up where she left off. He breached the gap between them in two steps. Grabbing her by her arms he slammed her roughly up against the wall, and pinning her. His face was inches from hers and giving her a wonderful view of his sharp canines. He could feel her shaking and see the sweat starting to form on her upper lip.
"What, Isane? Starting to re-think your previously fool hardy words and actions?" His hands around her arms were crushing, and she winced at the pain. A part of him cringed at what he was doing, but another part deeper inside him reveled in it.
Mayuri sneered disdainfully. "Don't even think for a second that you can bait me, and not have me at least make a run at you. If you think that you have what it takes to go one on one with a captain little girl, and me no less then please, let's continue this..."
Mayuri leaned in, and once again Ashisogi Jizo bit into her. She still refused to cry out. She also refused to give in. With a small, feminine snarl of outrage and a disregard for her comfort she grabbed onto his forearms, and pulling him in even closer she slammed her mouth against his. Isane brutally kissed him. She took, and took, and took from him. She gave him no place run.
Mayuri thought about pulling back, but the idea was quickly discarded. He dropped her arms and he buried a hand in her hair, and with the other moved Ashisogi Jizo off to the side and out his way. He then forcefully took control of the kiss by pushing back, and then over taking her. He now took instead of gave, and he did not let up. Their breathing intermingled, and he forced her almost cruelly to submit to him, and under no uncertain terms.
Blindingly reaching out he grabbed one of the folded futons, and yanked it viciously out of its wall niche. He threw it down besides them and seconds later forced Isane down upon it, and all the while he held her mouth locked with his own. She had grabbed onto the small patch of hair that he had showing in the back for support, and even though he felt as if any moment his hair would be yanked from his head the pain only helped to keep him more focused. As they gracelessly tumbled down in a locked pile together Mayuri pulled Itegumo from its resting place at her hip and threw it aside. He then also threw his own Ashisogi Jizo aside. Mayuri also took off his hat, and threw that off into a corner to lay forgotten like the swords before it. Unfettered now by either their zanpaktou or his cumbersome hat he could now easily grab both her wrists with one of his hands, and he yanked them taught above her head. He lay beside her but with his leg inserted between her own. Pulling away finally from her mouth he moved downwards and latched onto her neck where he bit down hard enough to cause her to cry out.
She cried out in pain, but also shivered in delight.
"Tell me Isane, did your dog do this to you?" He pulled his head back and looked down at her. His eyes were burning brightly, and all the while her breathing came out in heavy pants.
"Go to Hell, Mayuri," she hissed.
"I think that I am already there," he replied sagely. "But before I am eternally damned tell me about Komamura..."
Isane reached forward as far as she could (which wasn't much) and tried to bite at anything that she could. He jerked her arms tighter in order to subdue her. As he bent down to kiss her she bite his bottom lip, and with a slight satisfaction felt as well as heard a small crack. Both tasted a small, trickle of blood.
Ignoring both her action and its repercussion he kissed her again, but with less force. Something about this kiss was different. It was a kiss of pleading. Isane could feel him pouring all his hurts and insecurities into her, and like any good healer she took them willingly. She accepted his unspoken apology, and gave him back her unconditional acceptance.
She looked up at him through heavily lidded eyes. "Does this seem like the response of a woman who was already engaged with someone else?" Isane moved sinuously against him, and the response that she got sent shivers of pleasure and anticipation through her. Mayuri momentarily closed his eyes at the sensations, and when he opened them back up the lust in them caused her breath to hitch.
"Maybe a woman that wasn't getting what she needed?" His eyes narrowed and he swooped back down for another crushing kiss.
When he allowed her a breath Isane answered his question with one of her own. "Maybe a woman that needed nothing, or no one else then what she already has?" She moved her leg up against his, and ended by tightly clenching the thigh between her own . He surged up against her, and caused them both to moan uncontrollably.
Mayuri buried his face against Isane's neck and closed his eyes. He let go of her wrists and smiled slightly into her flesh as he felt them wrap around his shoulders. Her fingers curled as they bit into his shoulders, and then continued down his back. He was loathed to stop her ministrations, but he had to in order to sit up slightly to look down at her. What he saw stunned him.
Isane looked like a text book picture of passion. Her eyes were heavy lidded, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were bruised. Her tongue came out and delicately licked her lips while her hands kneaded his arms like a kitten. He shivered at the image beneath him.
He then started to laugh hysterically. Isane also bore the marks of his lust by having lines of white and black paint smeared all over her. There was even a drop of his blood smeared at the corner of her mouth. Obvious marks of his close proximity smeared her from her lower face all the way down to the base of her neck.
Isane looked at him in confusion and growing irritation. Before she could get riled up again he shook his head, and leaning down he placed a chaste kiss upon her lips.
"Isane, you look not only deliciously disheveled, but you also look as if you had wrestled with a...well, I don't know what really. I would say killer clown, but that would cast a negative connotation my way," he said grinning widely.
Isane gritted her teeth and smacked him on his arm. Pushing up in order to roll away she was met with an unmovable wall. He slide back down and braced both forearms along either side of her head. He shook his head and drummed his fingers on the floor.
"Honestly Mayuri, you are too twisted for reality," she said in irritation. "I can't figure you out sometimes! Do you see why I get so frustrated with you? You run hot and cold in no time flat, and then have the audacity to get mad at me for reacting the way I do!"
Mayuri's smile dropped slightly, and the look in his eyes became serous. "I told you Isane from the start that I was not a nice man. I cannot... no, I refuse to be pigeon holed or contained."
"But you expect me to be?"
"Yes," he said simply. "Because you can be I find your stability to be soothing in some respects."
Isane closed her eyes and slumped her shoulders. "Mayuri, if people were to describe me in three words or less they would say that I was reckless and rash. I don't think that I am in anyway the anchor of sanity that you seem to think that I am."
He gave a laugh filled with delightful humor. "You are in no way an anchor of sanity. I never thought that at all. But you are predictable to me, and I do not find that a deterrent either. You are predictable in your unpredictability."
Isane opened her eyes and frowned at him. "Predictable in my unpredictability? Mayuri, that makes no sense, and in fact that makes me out to be nothing more then some insane but containable madwoman!"
Mayuri smiled and rubbed noses with her. "Ah, but Isane it all makes perfect sense. As you are predictably unpredictable I myself am unpredictably predictable. See? We fit together perfectly. As we do in so many other more interesting ways," he said silkily as he rubbed against her.
Isane bit her lip and dug her nails into his shoulders almost painfully. "You are so bent, Mayuri," she said in a whisper.
"I know," he said against her neck. "My imperfections are works of art, are they not?"
Isane shook her head and purred low in her throat.
Mayuri suddenly narrowed his eyes and growled. "Fuck..."
Mayuri-sama, Captain Unohana is on her way over! Ashisogi Jizo said giggling.
Mayuri quickly jumped up, and hauled Isane with him. He picked up the bedding and jammed it back into the wall space. Turning to Isane who was still passion-logy started to brusquely wipe his paint off her face. She stood before him like a bewildered child under his ministrations.
"Mayuri? What-"
Picking up his and Isane's zanpaktou he jammed hers back at her side, and put his own back in its proper resting place. Quickly righting first hers and then his own clothing he gave her a warning look.
The door opened and Unohana stood there with a bemused look on her face.
"My, I should start charging hourly rates for this room, don't you think?" she said sweetly.
Isane gulped and lowered her head. "Captain! I was just-"
Unohana waived her hand in the air before her. "No need Isane, I am sure that you and Captain Kurotsuchi were just discussing your next article together...." she said with a knowing gleam.
Isane wanted to shrink into nothingness.
Mayuri looked at his fellow captain with bland disinterest.
"Well, since you are both here I think that it is a good time to go back to my office with me, and discuss our field trip down into the lower districts." Unohana looked at Isane with a pleased smile. "At the Captain's meeting earlier Isane, Captain Kurotsuchi offered the Twelfth up for escort duty. Isn't that wonderful?"
Isane looked at Mayuri with surprised delight. "Oh Mayuri! You would really do that?"
In her excitement Isane had no idea that she had slipped and used his given name in front of her captain. It did not however escape either of the captains. Unohana cast Mayuri a playful look while he pointedly ignored her. He did however turn his back slightly on Unohana so that she couldn't see his face properly, and offered Isane a slight smile.
"If I have to," he said flatly and with a bored look.
Isane looked up at him and seeing past his front gave a soft smile. "Thank you," she said quietly.
"Whatever," he said shrugging his shoulders. Turning back to Unohana he gave her an impatient look. "Lets get this over with. I have dust bunnies to experiment on."
Unohana smiled and turned around, and motioned them to follow her. Isane quickly went after her captain but was pulled short by Mayuri's hand on her arm.
"Isane," he said staring intently at her. "You never answered my question about Komamura."
Isane looked up at Mayuri and stared right back. "No Mayuri, I didn't." She pulled away from him and dissapeared around the corner, and presumably to catch up with Unohana.
Mayuri stood there wide eyed. Then, as a grin crept up he chuckled to himself, and shaking his head he sighed. "How predictable, Isane. Just like I said."
Leaving the room he didn't bother to shut the door behind him.
End A/N: I would like to thank the following people for their wonderful support, reviews, and all-around greatness: ViviBell, MazokuTenshi, Seireitei's Storyteller, .fire.333, , SarissaDiablo, Seven Samcham, x nihilo, Mademoiselle, Renji's Girll, darkangel 1910, blacktalon 117, Eros x Nihilio, Wheelwright, Ducky, Ashijo, The Triumverate of Rei, Sakura Mau Toki, Sonnie, enigma 81, mick van haha, addiction4jane, Sakura Otome, DreadGod, Joker Devaki Jinx, Crimson Fade, Bela Snape, RY, and everyone that has fav'd and alerted this.
"Our best thoughts come from others"
Ralph Waldo Emerson